


Bright Lights Burn

by issiefrancis



Category: Ghostbusters (2016)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/F, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Sickfic, this is totally just an excuse for holtzbert fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-06
Updated: 2016-12-27
Packaged: 2018-08-29 09:43:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8484553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/issiefrancis/pseuds/issiefrancis
Summary: Holtzmann overworks herself and gets the flu. Erin takes her home and looks after her. Pure fluff lmao.





	1. Home

"Holtzmann, it's one am. Go to bed." Erin's wrapped in her coat and scarf and about to go home. She's been waiting out Holtzmann to check that she actually gets some rest, but she's stripped down to crop top and shorts and has been fiddling since ten am.

"I will – there's just one more little bit…" She doesn't even look up, cheeks pink and hair a little less lively than usual.

"Okay, but _please_ , get some rest. Night." Erin waves and leaves the lab, telling herself that she's only worried because Holtzmann is the one who makes sure they don't die.

***

Holtzmann's been working for eighteen hours straight now. The lab is swelteringly hot, so since Abby left last night she's been in nothing but a crop top and baggy jeans. She thinks she had a bathroom break at midnight, but she can't really remember. She's so close to perfecting the punchy little bit of tech. It should only take another hour, tops. It's almost 8am. Erin will be in soon, the punctual nerd that she is. Holtzmann shakes her head, stretches out her fingers and gets back to work.

***

"Jesus Christ, it's freezing in here!" 8:01am and Erin flicks on the lights in the lab.

Holtzmann blinks awake, learnt from years of practice not to jerk for fear of knocking coffee, or worse, a nuclear reactor, off her workbench. Her head aches like someone took a screwdriver to all its parts, and her stomach is churning ickily.

"Oh, shit, turn those off." She's raspy. The lights are too bright for her headache. Her mouth is sticky and sweat drips down her back.

"Why are you dressed like that?" Erin stares at her.

"Please, Gilbert, I know I'm gorgeous, but can you just get the lights?" Holtz feels even worse as she gets upright, like her whole body is trying to turn itself inside out. She's even more nauseated now.

Erin huffs, but the lab goes dark again. "What are you working on?"

"I- Oh-" Holtzmann stands up, sways sideways, and then stumbles a few steps towards the door. Before she gets very far, the nausea properly hits her and suddenly she's vomiting on the floor.

" _Jesus_ , Holtz! Are you okay?" Erin rushes forward, heels clacking into Holtz's brain.

Holtzmann doesn't even answer, just leans back against her workbench, gulping down air. What's happening to her? Everything feels very far away from her reach. She closes her eyes to keep the lab from spinning around her.

Erin catches her as she passes out.

***

"You're flipping heavy, you know that?"

Holtzmann comes to with Erin wiping her mouth with a damp cloth. She's prone on the beat-up couch with a pillow underneath her head.

"All those muscles, baby," Holtzmann whispers. Her head is throbbing.

"Oh, good." Erin smiles down at her. "You can't be too sick if you're flirting with me."

"Beg to differ-" This time she knows she's going to vomit before it happens. Struggling upright, she manages, "I'm gonna-"

Erin has the wastebasket in front of her before she starts retching, and puts a cool hand over her forehead as she pukes again.

"Oh, Holtzy." Erin's own forehead crinkles in concern. "You're really not so good, huh?"

Holtzmann can only shake her head and lean back against the armrest. Her lips feel like sandpaper.  

"How about I take you to your apartment? It'll be more comfy," Erin suggests, putting the basket down by the armrest in case she needs it again.

_Uh oh_. The truth is, Holtzmann lives in her lab. Her bed and clothes are in one of the spare bedrooms. She spent so much time here and her rent was so expensive that she just moved out.

"I… live here."  

"I know," Erin chuckles, "But you'll be more comfortable at home- _Oh_." Holtzmann shakes her head, eyes closed. "We'll go back to my place, then. I've got a bed you can sleep in, and medicine, and-"

"A bed, huh?" Holtzmann waggles her eyebrows once, winces, and goes back keeping her eyes and mouth closed.

"I'll get you some clothes. You want a glass of water? Just try to get it in the basket if you're gonna-" Erin makes a barfing gesture and stands up. "Be back in five."

***

First, she packs Holtzmann a couple of changes of clothes, completely unsurprised to find that she wears men's boxers in a variety of semi-offensive prints and that she does not own a single set of lazy clothes. Thinking about Holtzmann being cooped up inside for a day (at least), Erin picks out some tools and scrap metal from the lab so that she doesn't start rewiring Erin's hairdryer or something. She also grabs a water bottle (not from the lab, because who knows what kind of contaminants are floating around in there?).

Holtzmann's asleep when she gets back to her, and Erin almost doesn't want to wake her, so she goes back down to the kitchen to write a note for the others. _Holtzmann's sick – she puked on the floor in the lab AND in the garbage can. Taking her home. Might not be back in today._

"Holtzy, you gotta wake up, hun." Erin gently jiggles her shoulder, staying well out of projectile-vomiting range.

She blinks awake, looks up at Erin. "I don't have to get up right now, right? I can just stay… on this dirty couch… asleep…" She winces.

"Have some water, then we'll go." Erin feels bad for making her move, but the lab definitely isn't the place to have the flu. Holtzmann sips a little from the water bottle, forehead creased in pain.

"We're gonna take a cab… Are you up for that?" Erin gestures delicately at the wastebasket. She's not the kind of person who talks about bodily functions with any measure of comfort.

"I think I can hold my cookies for ten minutes." Holtzmann breaks a smile at the fact that Erin's willing to take her home despite her obvious discomfort.

***

Holtzmann sits heavily on the apartment steps while Erin pays the cab driver and juggles her three bags. Her head hurts. Her tummy hurts. Her everything hurts. If there was anything in her stomach and she'd eaten in the past twenty hours, she'd probably be retching, but at this point she just wants to sleep. Her eyes slip closed while she waits.

A few moments later: "Don't get too comfy, Holtz. I'll go open up and then I'll help you, okay?" Holtzmann doesn't even open her eyes but makes an agreeing noise.

Erin dumps the bags on the couch, then goes back. She practically has to carry Holtzmann, one arm around her waist and the other clinging to the railing.

Holtzmann collapses onto Erin's bed when Erin lets her go. "Not quite how I pictured getting into your bed," she whispers.

"Holtz, will you _stop_ flirting, you look like you're about to pass out. Have some more water." Erin sits down beside her, hands her the water bottle. Holtzmann leans against her, slowly sipping at it.

Erin rubs her back, and then slows down. "Have you been working all night?"

Holtzmann nods against her shoulder.

"Jesus, Holtzy. Have you eaten anything? Drunk?" Holtzmann shakes her head.

Erin huffs. "I'm going to get you some food. You feel like anything in particular?"

Holtzmann makes a face that indicates the very thought of food is nauseating.

"Lie down. I'll be back soon." Erin stands up slowly, letting Holtzmann settle onto the bed before moving too much.  

Holtzmann meekly does as she's told.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erin has to take Holtzmann to hospital... :(

When Erin returns, Holtzmann is passed out again, drooling on Erin's pillow. Erin sighs. She's not going to wake the poor girl up. She puts the water and plate down on her bedside table and draws the blinds quietly. Wondering how to make Holtzmann more comfortable without waking her up, Erin pulls a blanket over her and drags her wastebasket over beside the bed. Cleaning up vomit off her carpet will be infinitely harder than cleaning it up off the lab floor, which is practically reflective.

She then goes back to her kitchen and tidies up and checks her fridge. She's out of fresh fruit, milk, crackers, and pretty much anything that isn't a mouldy spring roll from last week. Time to go to the supermarket. She checks on Holtzmann one last time, writes a quick note - _gone shopping, if you need anything text/call me x_. She debates over the x for a few seconds before finally stroking it in, and flicks her phone off vibrate so that she hears it if it goes off.

At the store, she is as efficient as possible, running through her list of _things I like when I'm sick_ to get a bag of apples, Sprite, plain crackers, and for Holtzmann, Pringles. She also gets her standard groceries and checks out as fast as possible.

The first thing she does at home is check on Holtzmann. She's not in bed anymore.

"Holtz?" she calls out.

"Er?" Her voice is pale from behind the ajar bathroom door.

"Can I come in?" Erin knocks gently.

"Mmm," Holtzmann groans in ascension.

She's leaning against the wall beside the toilet, hair pulled back in an obviously last-minute bun.

"Still going, huh?" Erin crouches down beside her, putting a hand to her forehead.

"I can't even throw up anymore, it's just-" She lunges for the toilet bowl, choking for a few seconds before spitting out a mouthful of bile.

"Holtzy," Erin says, feeling awful for her friend. She rubs her back gently. "Do you want to go back to bed?"

"I want to die," Holtzmann mutters, rubbing a hand across her face. "Sorry about all this. I'll, like, clean your bathroom later."

Erin rolls her eyes. "I think I'll manage. Come on, at least have some water." She helps Holtzmann to her feet and lets her rinse her mouth in the sink while she flushes the toilet and gets a wet washcloth.

Holtzmann stumbles back to the bed of her own accord, shivering as she tugs the blanket over herself. Erin passes her a glass of water and watches her as she slowly sips, then lifts the washcloth to her friend's forehead.

"What's the time?" Holtzmann whispers.

Erin checks her phone: "Eleven."

"It's been three hours?" Holtzmann groans. "I don't think I can make it through twenty four of these hours."

 _Hopefully it's only twenty four hours,_ Erin thinks, patting Holtzmann's knee. "Try get some sleep, hey?" Holtzmann coughs in a generally agreeable kind of way, then reaches over to Erin.

"Stay?"

Erin blinks, surprised, then nods. "Of course, Holtzy." She tucks herself around the smaller woman and rubs her back as she drops off to sleep.

***

Erin is woken up by Holtzmann literally flinging herself out of bed and running to the bathroom.

"You okay, Holtzy?" she calls out.

There's just a groan, and the sounds of retching and- Erin doesn't pursue that thought.

"You need me in there?" Erin grimaces to herself.

"Please, no." The sounds are a good indication that Erin _does not_ want to witness it.

"Okay, uh, yell if you need me."

Holtzmann just groans again. Erin distracts herself by getting some water and plain crackers from the kitchen. Holtz is sitting on the edge of the bed when she returns, head in her hands.

"You okay?" Erin offers her the water, sitting beside her.

Holtzmann shrugs, going red-faced. "It's turned into a _both-ends_ situation, if you catch my drift. I vomited in your wastebasket. You have a nice wastebasket."

"I got it." Erin grimaces and rubs a hand over Holtzmann's shoulders. "Can I help?"

"Nuh-uh," Holtzmann shakes her head, making a sad face.

"Just gotta ride this one out, huh?" Erin offers her the crackers with one hand, keeping the other one on her back. Holtzmann takes one, barely chewing before she reaches for the conveniently placed bowl on the bedside table and dry-heaves into it. Erin sighs, dropping the food on the floor as she puts a cool hand on Holtzmann's forehead. She's burning up, and her lips are cracked. Erin's heart squeezes in sympathy.

"Er- I, I don't feel so great," Holtzmann mutters, leaning heavily into Erin. Erin goes to make a joke – _obviously_ – but then Holtzmann sways, and then she chokes a little, and _then_ she falls backwards, eyes closed. _She's fainted._

Erin feels the first stirrings of panic. "Holtzy." She rolls her onto her side, into the recovery position, heart thumping. She jiggles her arm. Nothing. Erin slaps her face lightly. "Holtz, wake up, you passed out." Still nothing. Then she chokes, coughing up bile onto the sheets, but she _still_ doesn't wake up. Erin shakes her again. "Jillian, _please_ , wake up, oh god."

Erin hesitates for a second before fumbling her phone from the dresser and calling 911.

"Uh, it's my friend, she's been sick and she's just passed out. I can't wake her up-"

The operator calms her a little, asking if she can get her to a hospital – _the roads are busy, it's probably faster for you to bring her in._

"I think so. Yes."

The operator instructs her to check airways, so she fumbles her fingers into Holtzmann's mouth. There's nothing, and she tells the operator in a shaking voice. Erin tries to wake her, praying that she'll open her eyes.

_Nothing._

"The closest hospital is…"

Suddenly, Holtzmann chokes out another mouthful of vomit, and Erin drops the phone, fumbling around in her mouth to check that she's not suffocating. When she's sure she's not, she picks up the phone again. "Sorry, she, uh, vomited again, um, can you repeat that?"

The operator speaks calmly for a moment, and Erin taps the address into her phone, and Holtzmann is so pale, _oh god_. Erin gets up, steeling herself for the task at hand.

She picks up Holtzmann in a fireman's carry, praying that she doesn't vomit and choke again. She gets her into the car, lying her on the backseat and _drives._

When they arrive, Erin runs into the emergency room and explains. They bring the stretcher out to the car and spirit her away to the emergency room. Erin is left standing in the waiting room.

"Excuse me, ma'am, you'll need to fill out some forms?" The receptionist smiles gently at her, handing her a clipboard and a pen.

 _Oh god._ Erin looks at the first question, can feel a panic attack setting in, her breath getting shallower and shallower until the room starts spinning. The receptionist appears in her field of vision and puts a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, you okay? Is there someone you can call to help you out?"

Erin gasps in a breath, then nods. "Yeah- yes, thank you." She calls Abby, her first number on speed dial.

"Hey, Er, what's up? Patty just-" Abby is laughing, and Erin can't think about that, so she just cuts her off.

"It's Holtzmann. I'm at the hospital. Can you come?"

The line goes silent. "What? Is she okay?"

"She passed out. She's been throwing up all morning. I don't _know_ , please, just-" Erin blinks back tears.

"Shit. Yeah, we'll be there soon." Abby hangs up.

Erin sits down on a hard plastic chair, trying to fill in the forms. She doesn't know Holtzmann's birthday, or her _middle name_ , or her next of kin, or her insurance provider. She probably doesn't even have one. Will the mayor cover them for non-work-related stuff?

She finally puts herself down as next of kin, because Holtz had called them her family, after all.

"Erin?" Abby and Patty rush into the waiting room and surround Erin.

"Thank god-" Erin wraps her arms around Abby and Abby hugs her back.

"What _happened?_ Here, I'll do those." Abby takes the clipboard, barely even looking as she fills them all in. Abby knows exactly what to do.

"I don't know, she was just sick, and then she passed out, and had some kind of fit, and I just, I don't know, I panicked."

Patty puts an arm around Erin. "It's okay, they'll fix her up. Trust me, the last thing to take Holtzy out would be a stomach bug."

Erin smiles despite herself. "I guess that's true." She stays tucked in Patty's comforting embrace as Abby takes the forms to the nurse, wheedling a bit, finally gesturing them over.

"She says one of us can go and see her. Er, do you want to go?"

Erin nods and follows the nurse to cubicle 12B. Holtzmann is propped up on a bed, IV snaking out beside her. There's a doctor checking her over, writing things on an iPad.

"Hey, Er." Holtzmann's voice is hoarse.

"Holtz! You're awake!" Erin rushes over, automatically leaning over to kiss Holtzmann's forehead.

"What happened? Last thing I remember is throwing up in your wastebasket."

"You passed out on my bed. I freaked out."

"I'm sorry for scaring you," Holtzmann's forehead crinkles and then she winces. "Uh, Doc, that anti-nausea stuff -" She gags, one hand over her mouth, and then Erin is there before the doctor can say anything, holding the emesis basin from the bedside table for her while she chokes up bile. She lies back against the pillow with her streaming eyes closed. Erin sits down her, holding her hand and rubbing little circles on it.

"It doesn't seem to be anything worse than a typical gastro-intestinal bug. She hadn't eaten or had any water before she got sick?" The doctor addresses Erin.

Erin shakes her head, guilt tugging at her for not keeping a proper eye on Holtzy.

"I normally wouldn't let anyone stay in here, but I'll let it slide this time." He smiles. "I'll be back to check in around an hour. If there's a problem, call the nurse." The call button is beside the bed. He waves as he leaves.

Holtzmann is still pale, but opens her eyes as she looks down at Erin. "Erin, I'm sorry for ruining your day."  

"No! It's fine." Erin wraps her arm around Holtzmann's shoulders. "I'm worried about _you_. How are you feeling?"

"Not as bad as this morning. But I gotta go to the bathroom. Hold up."

Holtzmann swings her legs down from the bed and stands up, holding the IV pole so it doesn't rip out of her arm. Erin grimaces. Holtzmann sways a little – she probably shouldn't be walking around. But Erin's not really game for whatever the _other_ option is in this situation, so she lets it happen.

"Hey, Er?" Holtzmann's voice is shaky. "Um, I'm kinda dizzy."

Erin is at her side in an instant, arm around her waist.

"Can you help me to the bathroom?"

Erin holds the IV pole, letting Holtzmann hold onto her waist. They get there without… _incident_ , but then Holtzmann bends over to pull off her underwear and nearly passes out. Erin catches her, holding her up until she can stand herself.

"Er…"

"I'm not taking off your underwear." Holtzmann raises her eyebrows, reminding Erin of the alternative path here. "I'm taking off your underwear." Erin screws up her nose.

"This is not how I pictured getting in your pants." Holtz is still joking even as she holds onto the railing so she doesn't collapse. Erin lifts her hospital gown and pulls down her underwear, looking Holtzmann in the eye the whole time so it doesn't get any more awkward. She helps her sit down and then awkwardly backs out of the room.

Back in bed, Holtzmann is highly embarrassed. "Honestly, I'm just going to live in a sterile bubble for the rest of my lie to avoid ever getting sick again."

Erin hums in sympathy and crawls up beside her on the bed. "It's okay."

"I'm disgustingly sweaty, do you really want to be here?"

"Shut up and appreciate the massage." Erin rubs her shoulders and Holtzmann groans.

"I love you. I'll do anything for you. Eri-in," Holtzmann wriggles underneath her hands.

"Goddamn right you will, I literally had to help you poop today."

"Let's just forget that ever happened. _Please._ "

Erin chuckles. "Oh no. Whenever I want you to do _anything_ , I'm just going to remind you of today. _I had to help you_ -"

"Enough!" Holtzmann groans, cutting her off.

They fall into comfortable silence, Holtzmann smiling as Erin lightly rubs her shoulders.

They read together, Holtzmann leaning on Erin's shoulder, taking breaks every hour or so when Holtzmann has to throw up.

After the fifth time, she groans. "Why isn't it stopping? I just want it to stop."

"I know, I kno-ow." Erin strokes her forehead, getting out of bed to rinse out the basin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear we're getting to the romantic part. I swear.


	3. Sorry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You're all going to get secondhand embarrassment. Sorry not sorry.

Holtz is cleared with instructions to take care of herself while recovering. The doctor looks at Erin while he says this, so she knows she's on Mom duty for the next few days. She's given anti-emetics by the doctor and a list of things that will make Holtz feel better by a kind nurse.

"You'll probably still be feeling a little off for the next few days. The vomiting seems to have passed, which is good, but the diarrhea may not have. Eat plain foods, drink plenty, no strenuous physical activity…" Holtzmann nods, sighing at the prospect of spending more time in bed without getting to have the fun of _being in bed_. She cheerfully waves goodbye to the doctor and the nurses as they head out, then holds Erin's hand as they make their way to the car, pressing a kiss to it when Erin opens the door for her. Erin blushes and makes her way to the driver's side, putting the car in drive and backing out of the lot.

She groans as Holtz turns to her sheepishly. "Jillian Holtzmann, you did not just fart in my car!"

"I've been in hospital with a stomach bug, cut me some slack!"

"It smells _awful_ , open the freaking window!" They're both laughing as they roll down the windows, Holtzmann no longer even slightly embarrassed. She puts her head out the window a bit, breathing the fresh air with relish. Erin sticks her tongue out at her.

They're coasting along remarkably speedily for New York traffic when Holtzmann speaks up. "Hey, Er, gas station?"

"We're full," Erin replies cheerily.

Holtzmann screws up her nose. "That's nice, but I kinda _really_ gotta go to the bathroom." As she gets half-way through the sentence, they pass the entrance.

"Oh! Shoot, sorry. I'll stop at the next one." Erin winces. She had hoped that the whole awkward saga was over.

"Can we go any faster?" Holtzmann bounces up and down in her seat, holding her stomach.

"Do you want to die in a car crash?"

"That's starting to seem like the less embarrassing option."

"Please don't poop in my car."

"At this rate, I'm not making any promises."

Erin finally spots a Starbucks and pulls into the alley beside it. Holtzmann practically jumps out and does a weird crab-walk into the store. Erin switches off the car and goes inside to order herself some much-needed coffee. There's a ridiculously long queue, but her coffee arrives before Holtzmann returns. Grimacing at the warm cup in her hands, she figures she'd better go check in case she's passed out in there or something.

"Holtz?" she calls tentatively.

"Mmm-hmm?" Her voice is softer than usual.

"Are you… okay?" Erin's face is on fire. "It's just, I was worried you might have passed out or something."

"I'm fine." Holtz's voice is stony. "I'm just having a little… situation. I didn't quite _make it_ , shall we say?"

Erin groans before she can stop herself. "Ruh roh."

"You _think_?" Holtzmann sighs. "Do you have, uh, some pants or something?"  

"This is true love, huh?"

"Just help me out here, Er." Holtz's voice breaks a little.  

"I'll be right back."

"My knight in uncomfortable heels," Holtzmann replies.

Erin goes to her car, popping the trunk to find her slime-emergency bag. She has two changes of clothes and a lot of travel-sized cleaning supplies in there, for obvious reasons, AKA her proud title of Ecto-Projection Magnet.

"Here you go." She slides them into the stall. "I'll wait in the car?" Erin's face is flaming. She doesn't want to imagine how Holtzmann feels.

"I hate my life," echoes from behind the door.

"But not as much as my pants, right?" Erin chuckles, knowing that plain blue straight-leg jeans are Holtzmann's worst fashion nightmare.

"They're awful," Holtzmann laughs a little. "I don't know whether these or the ones I pooped in are worse."

"I'm not driving you home unless you put your pants in a _sealed bag_ , do you hear me, Holtzmann?"

"Alri-ight."

"I'm going now." Erin goes back to the car and taps the steering wheel as she waits.

Erin's jeans hang around Holtzmann's ankles as she stumbles out of the Starbucks. "Oh, Holtzy. You okay?" Erin says sincerely, seeing Holtzmann's dejected expression. She just buckles herself in and stares out the window. Erin lets her be.

She curls up on the couch and cries when they get home, not even taking off Erin's jeans. Erin comes back from doing all the laundry and finds her puffy-eyed and sobbing.

"Holtzy," Erin says, perching beside her. "Breathe." She rubs her back, eventually settling her on her lap and cuddling her close. "Shitty day, huh?" She snorts.

Holtzmann bats her arm, sniffling. "Don't pun about my distress."

"Hey, you're smiling now." Erin points out, touching Holtz's dimple.

"I guess you could say I feel like crap," Holtzmann relents.

"At least I was there," Erin says. "Whose pants would you have borrowed otherwise?"

Holtzmann shrugs, snuggling into Erin's shoulder. "Someone with much more fashion sense. These are the ultimate in Mom Pants."

Erin growls playfully. "Shh."

Holtz screws up her nose, obviously done with joking around. Erin makes her sympathetic face. "Do you want to watch a movie? I'll cuddle you."

Holtzmann shrugs again, pouting. "I want to sleep and forget the last two days ever happened."

"Holtz…" Erin sighs in mock-exasperation. "I'm trying. I promise."

"Sorry. I'm tired. And _mortified_ ," Holtzmann adds, eyes filling with tears again. "And you've been so lovely and thank you so much, but I'm just… done."

"It's okay, don't cry. Oh, Holtzy." Erin gathers her closer and kisses her cheek, then her lips. "You're more than welcome to throw up in my bed any time."

"I'll try not to make a habit of it."

"Thanks. I'd appreciate that, actually."

They lean on each other in silence for a few minutes, Erin's hand rubbing Holtz's back.

"So, Erin," Holtzmann looks up at her. "About that date…"

"Mmm hmm?" Erin breaks into a smile at that, stroking Holtz's forehead.

"Can we really?"

"Of course! I can't wait," Erin kisses her cheek. "Do you have something in mind?"

"Do I ever!" Holtz grins. "Just as soon as we're done with this disaster," she sighs, gesturing vaguely at her abdomen, leaning on Erin's chest.

Erin kisses her again, hand buried in Holtz's hair, trying to comfort her with everything she has. When Holtz pulls back slightly, Erin reaches for the remote and flicks on a movie. Holtzmann leans back and closes her eyes, falling asleep in moments.

***

Holtz is feeling well enough to annoy the hell out of Erin after an afternoon of playing board games. Erin ended up playing for both of them after Holtzmann got thoroughly distracted by building with the scraps of metal Erin brought home for her.

"I can't believe you remembered these, Erin, you're the best!" Holtz grinned when she picked through the bag Erin had hastily packed the day before.

"I just didn't want you to try and _improve_ my toaster or something."

"Fair enough, to be honest." Holtzmann spent the rest of the day lying on things that were not meant for lying on – _that's the counter, Holtzmann, get_ down – and building bigger and better things out of the scrap metal.

Erin finally gives up on board games and makes them dinner.

"Is that a _vegetable_ , Erin? I'm not putting that in my mouth."

"That's what she said," Erin smirks.

"I'll put _something_ in my mouth later, just not this." Holtzmann finger-guns and winks. She gets only a blush out of Erin, so she gingerly eats the whole plate, following Erin's cue.

They plan their date for the next day, too – _weather dependent_ , Erin specifies. "I am not walking around Central Park in a thunderstorm, not even for your cute little face." _Stomach dependent_ , Holtz counters with a laugh. Erin concedes the point.

Bedtime involves Holtzmann watching Erin carefully remake the bed with freshly laundered linen, and then borrowing Erin's pajamas. Erin puts a bowl beside Holtz and frowns at her. "I am _not_ washing my laundry again tomorrow. If you're going to be sick, _bowl_."

Holtz screws up her nose and nods, jumping under the covers. "Nighty-night, Er." Erin climbs under the covers too and snuggles up to Holtz. They share a soft, minty kiss before Erin rolls away and tucks her hand under her pillow.

"Sleep tight, Holtz."

The next day, Holtzmann wakes up, excited to _finally_ romance Erin. She rolls over to kiss her and tell her and force her to get up and get dressed so that they can go. The bed next to her is cold and empty.

Then the sound registers. Retching. From the bathroom.

She goes to the bathroom door. "Erin?"

"I hate you _so much right now-_ " Holtz winces at the sounds that cut her off. She thinks back to the sweaty kiss in the hospital and makes a face.

She opens the door and sits beside Erin to rub her back as she vomits. "I'm sorry."

"I'm breaking up with you. I hate-" Erin lunges for the toilet again.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the ride (?) I'm gonna finish it here for now but I guess there's potential for more when I get done with other more pressing stuff!

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoy <3  
> 


End file.
